Governor Scott’s Chief of Staff Resigns

Kim McDougal has served as the governor’s chief of staff since April 2016.

On Monday afternoon, an announcement said she will “transition” out in July and plans on “pursuing opportunities in the private sector.” It was unclear what those opportunities may be. Her replacement has yet to be announced.

Scott said in a written statement:

Over the last year, Florida had its fair share of tragic events including two hurricanes, the terrorist attack at Pulse Nightclub, and the shooting at Ft. Lauderdale Airport. During these tough events, Kim has lead my team through crisis and helped ensure we did all we could to help Florida families during these dark hours.

As reported by the Tampa Bay Times, the governor’s office is dominated by young staffers whereas McDougal was 54 years old. She started working for the state of Florida in 1989 and rose through the ranks of the Department of Education and as an adviser for Governor Jeb Bush. She holds a doctorate from the Florida State University College of Education.

McDougal released the following statement:

It has been my absolute pleasure serving Florida families for almost three decades. It truly has been an honor to wake up every day and fight for policies that will make a difference in our families’ lives.